The Ibhayi Brewery in Port Elizabeth, SAB Miller's latest and most advanced brewery cost over R700 million, and was completed within schedule and within budget. With an output of about 50 000hl per week, it would take the brewery just 40 days to brew one beer for everyone in South Africa.
Although the brewery is highly automated, safety is paramount, and comprehensive fire detection and alarm system was installed throughout the plant. Avitech Systems was contracted to provide the Public Address component, and installed a system comprising TOA horn loudspeakers and INTER-M rack mounted amplifiers.
Microphones and zone select panels in the security control room allow staff to selectively call areas within the brewery and control where alarm and evacuation tones are heard.
Because of the large distances involved, a PA control system using RS485 communications was installed. This control system has been upgraded to an IP based system, which use the BARIX Barionet
